1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatic washing machines and more particularly to drive mechanisms for automatic washing machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An automatic washer spin delay mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,899 assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, the assignee of this application, in which a delay mechanism provides a delay in the spin cycle of an automatic washer which is operated by means of a pawl pivotable about a stud rotating on an eccentric, which in turn is engageable with a spin gear only in one direction of rotation, and thereby provides a delay of substantially one revolution of the eccentric upon a change in direction of rotation of the eccentric. The delay mechanism is utilized between an agitate portion of the wash cycle and a spin and pump-out portion of the wash cycle to allow for disengagement of rack and pinion means utilized to translate rotational movement of the motor to oscillatory movement of the agitator during the wash portion of the cycle. The oscillatory means must be disengaged so that the agitator is free to rotate with the basket at high speed during a spin portion of the cycle. During this period of time, the washing machine is filled with wash liquid when the basket and agitator begin to rotate in the spin mode.
In the washing process it has been found advantageous to pump wash and rinse liquid from the machine while the transmission is in an idle or neutral position, neither agitating nor spinning. This reduces loading on the machine's transmission and also has some advantages in alleviating re-deposition of lint and soil from the wash and rinse water onto the laundered garments. In addition, the wrinkling of garments is reduced when the machine has been drained before spinning.
Thus, a means for shifting the transmission to an idle or neutral position while the wash liquid is being pumped from the wash tub, is required to gain the advantages listed above.
Several attempts have been made to provide a means to shift the drive mechanism of an automatic washer into neutral including solenoid operated shifter arm mechanism in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,928, a rotary damping action in U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,237, a water level responsive delay mechanism in U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,841 and a centrifugal force mechanism delaying spin in U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,982.